In the Press: ZEC names 11 Presidential candidates, Government tampers with electoral Act, Mwonzora MDC-T fails to field candidates on all constituencies

ZEC names 11 Presidential candidates, says 10 others rejected

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has announced that there will be eleven candidates competing in Zimbabwe's Presidential election which is scheduled for August 23.



The Elections Management Body said 21 candidates submitted their nomination papers on Wednesday, but 10 were not accepted for various reasons including failing to pay the US$20,000 fee or not having enough nominations from registered voters. 



Ex-cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere will also be on the ballot as an independent, joined by MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora; Lovemore Madhuku of NCA; Joseph Busha of Free Zim Congress; Trust Chikohora of ZCPD; Blessing Kasiyamhuru of ZIPP; Wilbert Archbald Mubaiwa of NPC, Gwinyai Muzorewa of UANC and Harry Peter Wilson of DOP.



Source: Zimlive 

Mwonzora MDC-T fails to field candidates on all constituencies

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T), led by Douglas Mwonzora, has failed to field candidates in all constituencies amid reports of financial constraints.

During an interview with VOA Studio 7, Witness Dube, the information and publicity secretary of the party, admitted that they were unable to pay the nomination fees for their candidates nationwide before the Nomination Court deadline.



Source: Bulwayo24

Chamisa blames forgeries in CCC double candidates controversy

CCC leader Nelson Chamisa has vowed legal action to have the unofficial candidates removed from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s final candidate list.



According to Chamisa, the issue of having two candidates was a deliberate attempt to deceive voters and should be seen as huge scam.



Source: Zimlive 

Government tampers with electoral Act

On Tuesday, the government made some last-minute changes to the Electoral Act that are considered illegal effectively altering the way candidates for proportional representation in local authorities would be picked, legal think tank Veritas Zimbabwe has revealed.



Changes to the Constitution were made via statutory instruments (SIs) on the 20th of January before the nomination court sitting. They were described as corrections to errors that had been carried over.



SI 114 of 2023 was issued as a correction to the Constitution

of Zimbabwe No 2 Act while SI 115 of 2023 was issued by the

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in terms of the Electoral Act.



Veritas Zimbabwe has stated that no changes should be effected to the electoral law once the election date has been announced. Additionally, Veritas has expressed that the amendment issued by the Law Reviser exceeds their authority.



The section, as corrected by the Law Reviser, now says that 10 people must be elected to provincial and metropolitan councils under a system in which the party lists have equal numbers of men and women alternating - ie if the first candidate on the party list is a woman, the next must be a man, and so on.

Source: Newsday

Zanu PF won uncontested local Government seats 

Aspiring legislators and councillors across all 10 provinces of the country filed their nomination papers before the closure of the Nomination Courts at 4pm. However, in certain areas, some individuals experienced feelings of disappointment and frustration due to organizational challenges within their political parties.



Some candidates were turned away because they failed to comply with elementary requirements. Zanu PF  appeared to have won uncontested local Government seats and some constituencies. In Mashonaland East, CCC fielded two candidates in Marondera Central, namely Mr Caston Matewu and Mr Misheck Manyere.

Source: Herald

US 10 Million for training election agents illegal : Zanu PF

In a statement yesterday Patrick Chinamasa said the ZANU PF Department of Finance had noted with concern a donation of US$10 million for the training of 12 500 election agents for all political parties participating in the August 23 harmonised elections.



ZANU PF Treasurer General  Patrick Chinamasa has stated that the mobilisation of US$10 million by several Western nations and organizations, including the United States and the United Kingdom, for the purpose of training election agents is unlawful.



According to Chinamasa, ZANU PF views the offer of US$10 million to train election agents of political parties as both interference in Zimbabwe's electoral processes and a tactic by the donors to support Mr. Nelson Chamisa and his CCC party.



Source: Herald

ZEC records 6.5m registered voters

It has been reported that there has been an increase in the number of registered voters for the upcoming harmonized elections in Zimbabwe, with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission stating that 6.5 million individuals have been registered to vote as of now.



During an interview with New Ziana, Utoile Silaigwana, the chief elections officer of ZEC, confirmed that the number of registered voters was accurate and that the voters' roll is now reliable.



Source: Herald 

CASE UPDATE: Con Court case challenging the constitutionality of exorbitant nomination fees

Urgent application for direct access on an urgent basis to bring before the Constitutional Court a case challenging the constitutionality of exorbitant nomination fees for the 2023 general elections has been dismissed on the basis that the matter is  not urgent.



Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) remains committed to fighting for gender equality in Zimbabwe. WLSA will  continue to work tirelessly to ensure that women have a fair and equal voice in the political process and that their rights are fully protected and respected.

Case Judgement urgent application for direct access on an urgent basis to bring before the Constitutional Court a case challenging the constitutionality of exorbitant nomination fees for the 2023 general elections.

WLSA conducts action research in the seven countries of Southern Africa namely Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The essence of action research is that we inform, advise and take action during the research.  In essence, we educate women about their legal rights, providing legal advice, questioning and challenging the law.